This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 091205617, filed on Apr. 24, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the art of thermal energy conduction, more particularly to an electrical appliance using a thermal conductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/951,174, entitled xe2x80x9cFLUID CONDUIT WITH ENHANCED THERMAL CONDUCTING ABILITYxe2x80x9d, filed by the applicant of this application, there is disclosed an apparatus for conducting thermal energy.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical appliance using a thermal conductor that permits heat-absorbing and heat-radiating control in a highly efficient manner.
According to the present invention, an electrical appliance comprises:
a thermal conductor including a hollow heat-conducting member that has inner and outer walls confining an enclosed chamber there between, and a superconductor that is disposed in the chamber, the inner wall having a first inner surface, the outer wall having a second inner surface, an outer peripheral surface and a bottom surface;
a heat-insulating layer provided on the outer peripheral surface of the outer wall; and
a temperature control device including
a thermoelectric unit disposed on and in thermal communication with the bottom surface of the outer wall of the heat-conducting member, the thermoelectric unit being electrically operable so as to operate in at least one of a heat-absorbing mode, where the thermoelectric unit absorbs heat from the thermal conductor so as to reduce temperature in the heat-conducting member, and a heat-radiating mode, where the thermoelectric unit radiates heat to the thermal conductor, and
a control unit connected to the thermoelectric unit and operable so as to enable the thermoelectric unit to operate in a selected one of the heat-absorbing mode and the heat-radiating mode; and
a power source connected to the temperature control device for supplying electric power thereto.